Steak 'n Shake 4 with Evan Susser
"Steak 'n Shake 4 with Evan Susser" is Episode 233 of Doughboys, hosted by Mike Mitchell and Nick Wiger, with Evan Susser. "Steak 'n Shake 4 with Evan Susser" was released on December 19, 2019. Synopsis The commissioner returns for the final episode of 2019! Susser (Deli Boys, Brooklyn 99) and the 'boys head back to Steak 'n Shake, a midwest chain with a tumultuous history. Plus, the final Snack or Wack of 2019. Nick's intro Three years! Three years since this podcast's last visit to the Midwest hot beef and cold dairy chain founded in 1934 in the town of Normal, Illinois. A momentous, but often contentious three years in Doughboys history that parallel the travails of planet Earth - the rise of the far right in the West and populous opposition movements in the East; the continuation, and pending conclusion, of the Disney Star Wars sequel trilogy; and the birth, death, and rebirth of the Popeye's chicken sandwich. And this burger and sweet treat chain with a rhyming name too has had some momentous recent history. Under the stewardship of majority stakeholder, Sardar Biglari, the Trump-esque Maxim magazine publisher who engineered a hostile takeover in 2008 and promptly added his name to the signage, the chain expanded from the Midwest to blanket North America and establish outposts overseas - a venture that may have been an exercise in in hubris by Biglari, as a rash of new locations have shuttered in quick succession. Billings, Montana? Opened and closed. Fresno, California? Opened and closed. Millersville, Maryland? Opened and closed, and subsequently its franchise owner arrested for attempting to murder his wife and burn down his business for insurance money in the face of crushing financial pressures. The chain's quixotic UK expansion too ended after it's lone British Isles location Brexited less than two years after its founding. The closures even touched a location reviewed by this very podcast and guest. Its Victorville, California outlet closed in February of 2018. That same year, the number of customers hit an eight-year low, as same store sales dropped 5.1%. So as the planet burns, often literally from ever-increasing global temperatures, will the sun metaphorically rise once again on Sardar Biglari's heartland hamburgery? This week on the final new Doughboys of 2019, we return, once again, to Steak 'n Shake. Fork rating As the title implies, this is fourth visit to Steak 'n Shake (all with Susser). Their first visit was in episode 18 where they mistakenly visited an 'airport kiosk' version of the restaurant, and rated it 2.67 (and Nick gave it 1 fork). Next, in episode 31, they traveled to Victorville, CA to visit a full version where they all gave it 5 forks and it made the Platinum Plate Club. In episode 42, Steak 'n Shake lost to Five Guys in the Tournament of Chompions. Then in episode 82, they went again and dropped it all the way to 2.17 (this was also the famous "blow-up" episode). It was never in the Golden Plate Club with these numbers. Three years after that last episode, they give it yet another review. They were initially planning to review Steak 'n Shake's breakfast for this episode, but switched to lunch. Snack or Wack In Snack or Wack, they try a snack item and rate it 'snack' or 'wack.' Today, they try, straight from Quincy, oven fries. They use Ore-Ida Golden Crinkles fries, which they crisp up at 450, just like Mitch's Ma. Roast Spoonman Sonic the Hedgehog questions Mt. Sandmore As per The Feedbag question (see below), they were asked their four favorite Sandler movies. (Nick's not serious here, but screw it, your list is canon now, man.) (Nick's real picks: Punch-Drunk Love, Happy Gilmore, Wedding Singer, and Grown Ups 2.) Quotes #hashtags #NoDay #PayDay #sNOnic #SnowDay #OvenMys The Feedbag Photos